Oscillating sprinkler clamp member and control knob construction



Nov. 30, 1965 c. A. MATTSON 3,220,655

OSCILLATING SPRINKLER CLAMP MEMBER AND CONTROL KNOB CONSTRUCTION Filed June 9, 1964 INVENTOR. C/a/z/ed air mm United States Patent C) 3,220,655 ()SCELLA'I'HNG SPRINKLER CLAMP MEMBER AND (IGNTRQL KNOB CGNSTRUCTEQN Charles A. Mattson, flak Park, Rh, assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, lil., a corporation of Illinois Filed .l'une d, 1964, Ser. No. 373,773 Claims. (Cl. 239-442) This invention relates to an oscillating type lawn sprin-- kler, and more particularly to a control mechanism for manually adjusting the spray pattern of an oscillating sprinkler.

In recent years, oscillating type lawn sprinklers have gained in popularity due to their ability to distribute water in a rectangularly shaped pattern. This type of a lawn sprinkler usually has an adjustable oscillating control mechanism which will readily change the size of the watering pattern and will shift the pattern from one side of the sprinkler to the other. A lawn sprinkler of this type which has gained wide commercial success is described in the lepson Patent No. 3,105,639 which is assigned to the same assignee as this application. The lepson patent discloses a control mechanism in the oscillating mechanism which provides accurate control of the spray pattern and which has a great variety of settings. With the expansion of the market for oscillating sprinklers there arose a need for an oscillating control mechanism which would have fewer parts and lower assembly cost. Oscillating mechanisms are known in the prior art which are somewhat simplified by having a single control knob which is associated with the oscillating spray tube and are in driving relationship through a link to the crank which is powered by the well-known hydraulic motor. The angle of spray tube oscillation and the relative position thereof is regulated by the single control knob by varying the distance between the spray tube and the connection at the end of the link associated with the control knob and by varying the angle of spray tube discharge orifices with respect to the link. An example of this type of control mechanism is disclosed in Ballard Patent No. 2,921,474. However, control mechanisms of this type have heretofore contained too many parts and are expensive to assemble considering the far fewer spray pattern adjustments available as compared to the sprinkler of the l'epson patent cited above.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved lawn sprinkler of the oscillating type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved control mechanism to oscillate the spray tube in an oscillatory type sprinkler.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved oscillating control mechanism for a sprinkler which is of low cost and easy to assemble.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an oscillating type sprinkler having an improved adjustable oscillating control mechanism wherein a clamp member which is attached to the spray tube will flex to receive an assembled relationship a control knob member of larger size.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lawn sprinkler having basically a two-piece oscillating control mechanism wherein the smaller mating portion will flex to permit the larger portion or" the other piece to nest therein.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention,

reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective of a sprinkler embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the sprinkler oscillating control mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section View similar to FIG. 3 with certain portions omitted and with the clamp member flexed to the open or assembling position; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 5, showing a section of the clamp member.

Briefly, the present invention provides a lawn sprinkler having a horizontally supported spray tube which is oscillated through a selectable spray angle by an improved oscillating control mechanism which is attached to the spray tube and is interconnected to a driven rotatable crank by a customary link. The oscillating control mechanism has two basic components which are a clamp member which is secured to the spray tube and a. knob member which is nested in the clamp member and pivotally attached to the link. The clamp member is formed with a slit and is designed so it can be opened sufliciently to receive the knob member in sliding rotatable engagement therewith even though the engaging portion of the clamp member is smaller than the area surrounding the engaging portion of the knob member.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the sprinkler which is generally referred to by reference numeral 10 comprises a motor and gear reduction housing 11 integral with a pair of runners or skids which unite at the end remote from the housing 11 and are bent upwardly in order to provide an outboard support for a curved spray tube 14. The cup-shaped housing 11 is enclosed by cover 15 to form a liquid tight chamber for a hydraulic motor and gear reduction members contained therein. Any suitable hydraulic motor and gear train may be used to provide power for oscillating spray tube 14. Preferably, a hydraulic motor and gear train of the type disclosed in the Jepson Patent No. 3,105,639 may be employed. In any event, when water under pressure is introduced into the housing 11 the hydraulic motor through the gear train rotates a crank 16 which emerges from the housing on the same side as the oscillating tube 14 as may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In order to permit oscillation, the spray tube 14 is rotatably supported at one end by the housing 11 and at the other end by the outboard bearing carried in the upturned portion of skid 12. In a manner well known in the art, spray tube 14 is in fluid communication with the water which has passed through the hydraulic motor contained within the housing 11. In addition, the spray tube 14 has a plurality of spaced discharge orifices for spraying the egressing water over the selectable area to be sprinkled.

In accordance with the present invention, an oscillating control mechanism generally designated by reference numeral 20 is secured to the spray tube 14 at a point near the housing 11 and is in power transmitting relationship with crank 16 by means of a link 21. In this particular embodiment, the link 21 is molded from plastic material such as an acetal resin. This particular part could be formed from a number of metals or from a selection of plastics which are weather resistant. The link 21 is pivotally associated with the crank member near one end and is retained thereon by means of a suitable fastening member 22, such as a rubber Q-ring, which is positioned in an annular groove near the end of the crank shaft 16. The

3 other end of the link 21 is adapted for pivotal connec tion with the oscillating mechanism 20.

As viewed in FIG. 3, the oscillating mechanism has a somewhat pear-shaped outline and has two basic components which are a clamp member 27 and a knob control member 28. The clamping member 27 has a relatively thick clamping portion 29 near one end thereof and a relatively narrow ring portion 30 disposed near the other end. Furthermore, the clamp portion 29 forms an opening 31 which is adapted to receive the spray tube 14 at a point adjacent the housing 11. A locking protuberance 32 is integrally formed at the opening 31 to engage an elongated indentation 33 in the tube 14 so that the clamp member 27 may be rigidly secured to the spray tube in a predetermined angular relationship. The clamp member 27 as well as the knob control member 28 are preferably molded of an acetal resin or the like which has desirable weathering qualities as well as the characteristic of low moisture absorption. The ring portion 30 has an integral annular wall 35 which defines an opening having a bore surface-36. As may be easily seen in FIG. 3, the opening 31 in the clamp portion 29 and the opening in the ring portion 30 both have centers which lie on the longitudinal axis 38 of the clamp 27 The annular wall 35 has a uniform width and contains a rigid section 40 which extends approximately 270 around the bore surface 36 and a relatively flexible section 41 of reduced cross-sectional area which extends the remainder of the distance around the bore surface 36. Thus, it may be readily seen that the flexible section 41 extends less than halfway around the bore surface 36. In the illustrated embodiment the uniform width of the ring portion 30 is approximately inch, the rigid section 49 is approximately inch thick, while the flexible section 41 is approximately inch thick. A slit 44 is defined in the clamp 27 along the longitudinal axis 38 extending from one end of clamp portion 29 to bore 36. This slit 44 cooperates with the flexible section 41 for assembly to be described in detail hereinafter. To maintain the clamp 27 in the closed or operative position, a threaded member 56 is provided to cooperate with retaining nut 47 to close slit 44 by passing through passageway which is disposed normal to the slit. The enlarged head of member is fully received in and bears against recess 48 while nut 47 is received in complimentary irregularly shaped recess 46 at the opposite end of passageway 45. Therefore, the clamp 27 is securely held in the closed position when the threaded member 50 is positioned in passageway 45 and is in threaded engagement with retaining member 47 as portrayed in FIG. 3. It should be noted that when the slit 44 is closed the locking protuberance 32 is in engagement with tube indentation 33 locking the clamp 27 securely to the tube 14 in a predetermined angular relationship. In order to insure that the bore surface 36 will assume the correct configuration when the slit is clamped shut by fastening means 47 and 50, limit lugs 52 are integrally formed along the slit 44 adjacent the bore 36, and a shoulder 53 projects from around passageway 45. Thus, the slit 44 is closed when limit lugs 52 engage each other, when shoulder 53 engages a corresponding contact area along slit 44 and when the outer ends of the halves forming opening 31 abut along the slit 44. Therefore, over tightening of the fastening members 47 and 50 cannot affect the configuration of the bore surface 36.

The control knob member 28 is somewhat cup-shaped with a peripheral surface 57 and an annular gripping portion 55 which contains a plurality of raised gripping ribs to facilitate the grasping of the member firmly. For the purpose of providing a driving connection between the crank 16 and the control mechanism 20, knob member 28 has an integral projection 56 extending horizontally toward the housing 11 and adapted to pivot in the end of link 21 remote from the crank. In order to maintain the projection 56 in pivotal engagement with link 21 another O-ring fastener 22 is employed and is retained on the projection by an annular groove which is not illustrated in the drawings, but is well known in the art. The projection 56 is disposed oif center of the rotating axis of the knob member 28 and is adjacent the peripheral surface 57. The knob member 28 is provided with an annular groove 59 which is adapted to receive the annular wall 35 of the clamp member 27 in sliding, rotatable engagement. A pocket 60 is integrally formed at the bottom of groove 59 and disposed radially to said groove. Positioned within the pocket 60 is a coil spring 61 which biases a detent 62 against the bore surface 36. Preferably, the ball is fabricated from a plastic material such as nylon or the like, and is in the form of a sphere. As may be best seen in FIG. 3 the oscillating mechanism 20 when in the assembled position has the detent 62 selectively engageable with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 66 which are formed at predetermined intervals along bore surface 36 in order that the angular relationship between the control knob member 28 and the clamp may be varied to secure different oscillating patterns. It should be noted that the recesses 66 are positioned along the rigid section 40 of the annular wall 35. Thus, the integrity of the configuration of the recesses 66 is not altered or disturbed by the action of the flexible section 41. In this embodiment,

' the recesses have a circular configuration with a sloped leading edge or land 67 disposed at either side. The con struction of the locking recesses 66 is best illustrated in FIG. 6 where the land 67 is at approximately a 30 angle with respect to a tangential line at the bore surface 36. In order to insure the efiicient operation of the detent 62 and the recesses 66, the recesses 66 have the same circular configuration as the detent 62. Further, the lands 67 allow the spherical detent 62 to roll out of engagement with the recesses 66 when the knob 28 is rotated with respect to the clamp member 27. Thus, the detent accurately locates the two members in a predetermined angular relationship and also easily allows the angular relationship to be changed. To facilitate selecting the proper angular relationship between the members 27 and 28, a raised marking indicia 64 is disposed on the ring portion 30 of clamp member 27 and descriptive markings 65 are spaced along the peripheral surface 57 of knob member 28 in order that the user may conveniently select the spray pattern he desires.

As is well understood by those skilled in the art, the angle of oscillation of the spray tube 14 is controlled by the fixed offset of the crank 16 and the distance between the center of tube 14 and the projection 23 which is driven by link 21 from the crank. Further, the angular relationship between the clamp member 27 and the discharge orifices in spray tube 14 as well as the location of projection 56 with respect to crank member 16 determine the displacement of the spray pattern with respect to the sprinkler.

As may be conveniently seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bore surface 36 of clamp member 27 is in sliding engagement with the bottom of groove 59 in member 28. Inasmuch as the peripheral surface 57 is of a greater diameter than the bore surface 36, the slit 44 plays an important part in the quick and efiicient assembly technique employed to lock in working engagement members 27 and 28 with spray tube 14. As may best be seen in FIG. 5, the clamp member 27 may be opened sufficiently along slit 44 to permit the groove 59 of member 28 to be nested within the bore surface 36 of clamp 27. In order to accomplish this end, the clamp is spread apart by over one inch at the point where the slit 44 meets the bore surface 36. The opening of clamp 27 is accomplished by flexing of flexible section 41 of the annular wall 35. The rigid section 40 of the annular wall 35 containing the recesses 66 does not flex and, therefore, the recesses 66 retain their proper shape. Once the knob member has been inserted within the bore surface 36 and the spray tube 14 has been placed within opening 31 so that the protuberance 32 engages the indentation 33, the slit 44 is locked in the closed position with fastening members 47 and 5t). Naturally, the spring 61 and detent 62 are in their proper location in pocket 60 during the assembling procedure. As disclosed hereinbefore, the locking of the clamp member in the closed position does not alter or effect the shape of the recesses 66 and, once closed, the size of bore 36 is not changed even if the fastening means is overly tightened. Thus, there has been described an oscillating mechanism having a minimum number of components which may be easily assembled together with a minimum of tools required.

While there has been illustrated and described what is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a sprinkler which has a spray tube which is oscillated back and forth through a selected spray angle in response to the rotation of a driven crank, and means mounted on said tube and connected to said crank for adjusting the spray angle, the improvement of said means comprising a clamp member secured near one end to said spray tube, said clamp member defining a ring portion having an annular wall and being slit from the end secured to said tube to said ring portion, a control knob member provided with an annular groove which is adapted to receive said ring portion in sliding rotatable relationship, means between said members selectively locking them in angular relationship to vary the spray angle, and said clamp member annular wall having a flexible section whereby the clamp may be sprung sufiiciently open at said slit to permit said knob member groove to be received in said ring portion.

2. In a sprinkler as in claim 1, wherein said annular wall forms a bore surface having a plurality of recesses which lie outside of said flexible section, said locking means including a spring biased detent associated with said knob and adapted to cooperate with said recesses for selectively locking said members together.

3. In a sprinkler as in claim 2, wherein said flexible section has a reduced cross section area with respect to the remainder of said clamp member annular wall whereby said clamp member may be opened at said slit without effecting the configuration of said recesses.

4. A sprinkler comprising a spray tube, a rotary drive crank for oscillating said tube, means interconnecting said crank and tube for converting rotary movement of said crank into several different angles of oscillatory movement of said tube, the improvement of said means comprising a clamp member defining a clamping opening near one end thereof and a relatively large bore surface formed by an annular wall near the other end with both opening and bore surface centered on a longitudinal axis, said clamp member being provided with a slit extending from the end with the clamp opening along the longitudinal axis to said bore surface, said annular wall having a relatively rigid section with a plurality of recesses formed on the bore surface and a relatively flexible section, a control knob member having a peripherally extending annular groove adapted to receive said annular wall in sliding rotatable engagement, said flexible section being sufliciently flexible to permit said clamp member to spread open at the slit so that said annular wall can be placed in said groove and said clamping opening can receive said spray tube, means locking said clam-p member so that the slit is closed whereby said clamp member is securely attached to said tube at said clamping opening, a link interconnecting said knob member and said crank, and a spring biased detent associated with said knob member near said groove and positioned to cooperate with said recesses to releasably lock said member in angular relationship.

5. A sprinkler as set forth in claim 4 wherein said clamp member has a protuberance integrally formed along said clamping opening which is adapted to cooperate with an indentation on said tube whereby said locking means holds said clamp member and tube in fixed angular rela- :tionship.

6. A sprinkler as set forth in claim 4 wherein said clamp member has integral stop means formed along said slit to ensure a proper sliding fit between said members and a locking fit between said clamp member and tube.

7. In an oscillating type sprinkler com-prising a spray tube, a clamp member having a relatively Wide clamping portion and a relatively narrow ring portion, said clamping portion defining a clamping opening adapted to receive said tube in locked relationship, said ring portion having an annular wall enclosing a circular bore surface, said annular wall having a relatively rigid section extending over around said bore and a flexible section extending the remainder, a control knob member having a groove adapted to receive said ring portion, a link interconnecting said knob to a rotatable drive crank for oscillating said tube through a spray angle, first means releasably locking said members in angular relationship to vary the spray angle, said clamp member defining a slit extending through said clamp portion at said clamping opening to said bore surface, said flexible section being sufficiently flexible to permit said clamp member to open along said slit whereby said knob groove can receive said annular wall and said tube can be inserted into said clamping opening, and second means locking said clamp member so that said slit is closed.

'8. In a sprinkler as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first means comprises a plurality of spaced recesses on said bore surface in said rigid section which cooperate with a spring biased detent associated with said knob member at the bottom of said groove whereby the flexible section cannot alternate the configuration of said recesses.

9. In a sprinkler as set forth in claim 8 wherein said recesses have sloped leading portions on both sides thereof whereby said detent is permitted to roll out of engagement with said recesses.

10. In an oscillating type sprinkler comprising a spray tube, a relatively short clamp member of relatively rigid material secured to said tube and having an opening with a circular bore surface disposed parallel to and closely spaced to said tube, a slit passing from one edge of said clamp member adjacent said tube to said bore surface, an integral control knob member having an outside surface of much greater size than said opening and a groove adapted :to receive said bore surface positioned around said knob member with a bottom surface of smaller diameter than said opening, means releasably locking said members 1n angular relationship to regulate the spray angle, and means associated with said clamp member adjacent said bore surface for permitting said slit to open suflicientlay to receive said control knob member groove into said ore.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,184,587 12/1939 Ekstrand 74579 X 2,934,973 5/1960 Smith 239242 X 2,943,796 7/1960 Smith 239242 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SPRINKLER WHICH HAS A SPRAY TUBE WHICH IS OSCILLATED BACK AND FORTH THROUGH A SELECTED SPRAY ANGLE IN RESPONSE TO THE ROTATION OF A DRIVEN CRANK, AND MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID TUBE AND CONNECTED TO SAID CRANK FOR ADJUSTING THE SPRAY ANGLE, THE IMPROVEMENT OF SAID MEANS COMPRISING A CLAMP MEMBER SECURED NEAR ONE END TO SAID SPRAY TUBE, SAID CLAMP MEMBER DEFINING A RING PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR WALL AND BEING SLIT FROM THE END SECURED TO SAID TUBE TO SAID RING PORTION, A CONTROL KNOB MEMBER PROVIDED WITH AN ANNULAR GROOVE WHICH IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID RING PORTION IN SLIDING ROTATABLE RELATIONSHIP, MEANS BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS SELECTIVELY LOCKING THEM IN ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP TO VARY THE SPRAY ANGLE, AND SAID CLAMP MEMBER ANNULAR WALL HAVING A FLEXIBLE SECTION WHEREBY THE CLAMP MAY BE SPRUNG SUFFICIENTLY OPEN AT SAID SLIT TO PERMIT SAID KNOT MEMBER GROOVE TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID RING PORTION. 